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A  COURSE  OF  STUDY 

IN 

PHYSIOLOGY  AND  HYGIENE 

FOR 

ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 
Grades  One  to  Eight 

BY 

WOODS  HUTCHINSON,  A.M^  M.D. 


HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 

BOSTON  NEW  YORK  CHICAGO 


CONTENTS 


How  TO  TEACH   HyGIENE  AND   PHYSIOLOGY  ....  3 

Outline  for  Primary  Grades 

First  Grade 8 

Second  Grade 10 

Third  Grade 11 

Outline  for  Grammar  Grades 

Fourth  Grade ; 11 

Fifth  Grade 13 

Sixth,  Seventh,  and  Eighth  Grades 14 


Copyright,  1913,  by  Houghton  MiflBin  Company 


HOW  TO  TEACH  HYGIjENE,  AND. 

PHYSIOLOGY  " 

BY 

WOODS  HUTCHINSON,  A.M.,  M.D. 

What  Physiology  and  Hygiene  should  Comprise 

Teaching  physiology  and  hygiene  is  simply  teaching  a 
child  what  life  is,  and  how  to  live  it.  There  is  no  difficulty  \ 
about  practical  applications,  for  in  a  wisely  planned  course 
whatever  is  learned  will  be  put  into  practice.  The  only  way 
to  learn  to  live  rightly  is  to  live  rightly,  and  begin  to  do  it 
at  the  earliest  age  possible. 

It  is  just  as  easy  to  get  children  started  right  as  wrong. 
Indeed  their  natural  instincts  and  performances  are  in  the 
right  direction.  The  problem  is  simply  to  encourage  these 
right  tendencies  so  vigorously  and  so  effectively  as  to  leave 
no  chance  for  the  less  desirable  ones  to  develop.  In  the 
hands  of  a  wise  teacher  a  great  deal  of  the  earlier  teaching 
of  physiology  and  hygiene  will  simply  consist  in  explaining 
wh;f  children  do  certain  things  that  they  like  to  do,  such  as 
running  and  jumping,  eating  and  bathing,  and  how  they 
may  do  them  to  the  best  advantage  in  order  to  make  and 
keep  themselves  healthy  and  happy  and  growing.  That  is, 
it  is  easy  to  meet  the  natural  interests  of  the  child  in  teach- 
ing this  subject,  the  only  problem  being  which  of  his  numer- 
ous interests  and  curiosities  to  select  as  the  means  of 
approach  to  each  lesson. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  teaching  of  hygiene  has  the  disad- 
vantage that  on  account  of  its  being  so  intensely  practical, 
and  so  vitally  necessary,  it  must  be  taught  to  a  child  all  at 
once,  so  to  speak;  it  cannot  readily  be  divided  into  an 
orderly  series  of  lessons,  each  one  covering  its  appropriate 
part  of  the  subject  for  each  particular  school  term  or  year 
of  the  entire  curriculum. 

It  would  be  little  short  of  absurd  to  teach  a  child  all 
about  his  digestion  in  one  year,  his  breathing  apparatus  in 
another,  his  eyes,  ears,  and  nose  in  a  third,  and  his  brain 
and  nervous  system  in  a  fourth,  leaving  him  meanwhile 
uninformed  of  and  unprotected  against  at  least  two  thirds 
of  the  dangers  and  risks  of  his  whole  environment. 

285838 


4         HOW  TO  TKACH  HYGIENE  AND  PHYSIOLOGY 

Any  adequate  and  helpful  system  must  cover  in  a  gen- 
eral way  a\l  of  the  various  points  at  which  a  child's  life 
comes  in  contact  with  his  surroundings,  and  particularly 
with  other  lives,  within  a  reasonably  compact  period,  —  say 
a  school  year  or  two  at  most.  Probably  the  best  general 
plan  is  to  complete  this  general  survey  three  times  during 
the  child's  school  life:  once  between  his  sixth  and  eighth 
years,  in  the  primary  grades,  the  second  time  between  his 
eleventh  and  fourteenth  years,  in  the  grammar  grades,  and 
once  again,  much  more  intensively,  during  the  first  two  years 
of  the  high  school  course,  when  advanced  textbooks  and  full 
chemical  and  laboratory  work  can  be  included.  It  should, 
however,  be  insisted  upon  that  the  second  or  grammar  grade 
course  covering  the  ground  should  be  made  as  thorough  and 
complete  as  possible,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  so  large  a  per- 
centage of  our  public  school  children  leave  school  before  their 
fifteenth  year  in  order  to  go  to  work  or  for  other  reasons. 

It  is  almost  a  pity  that  the  term  "Physiology"  ever 
came  to  be  applied  to  this  important  and  vital  subject. 
"Hygiene,"  or  simply  "Health,"  is  a  far  better  title.  First, 
because  the  only  knowledge  of  the  structure  and  the  work- 
ing of  his  body  that  is  of  suflScient  value  to  the  child  to  be 
worth  teaching  him  is  such  as  will  enable  him  to  make  prac- 
tical use  of  it  in  protecting  his  own  health  and  happiness; 
and  second,  because  the  only  rational  and  sensible  method 
of  teaching  a  child  the  facts  and  details  of  his  bodily 
structure  is  by  seizing  upon  what  he  already  knows  of  its 
comfortable  and  eflficient  action  in  health  and  its  uncom- 
fortable and  disabling  performances  in  disease,  and  then 
working  back  to  the  kind  and  the  condition  of  body  ma- 
chinery which  produce  these  results. 

Merely  to  cram  the  unfortunate  child  with  a  mass  of 
unrelated,  uninteresting  information  as  to  the  size  and 
shape  of  his  stomach,  the  chambers  of  his  heart,  the  struc- 
ture of  his  backbone,  the  three  sacred  layers  of  his  skin, 
and  the  precise  number  of  bones  in  his  skeleton,  is  not 
only  irrational  and  useless,  but  is  very  likely  to  give  him  a 
permanent  prejudice  against  really  adequate  and  scientific 
knowledge  of  his  body  and  its  structure. 

The  best  general  rule  to  follow  is  to  teach  no  physiology 
or  anatomy  whatever  except  that  which  is  required  to 
explain  the  working  of  the  body  and  its  diflFerent  parts  in 
health  and  in  disease,  in  such  detail  as  the  intelligence  and 


HOW  TO  TEACH  HYGIENE  AND  PHYSIOLOGY  5 

interest  of  the  children  of  each  particular  age  will  enable 
them  to  grasp,  and  lead  them  to  inquire  about.  There  is 
not  a  single  detail,  not  even  of  the  minutest  microscopic 
structure  of  our  wonderfully  complex  and  elaborate  machine 
called  the  human  body,  which  cannot  be  reached  and 
brought  out  by  this  method  before  the  end  of  the  high 
school  course,  provided  that  the  teacher  is  equipped  and 
prepared  to  follow  the  curiosity  and  the  questions  of  the 
children  to  their  natural  conclusion. 

The  Importance  of  Early  Instruction  in  Hygiene 

The  early  presentation  of  such  knowledge  as  will  enable 
the  child  to  live  wholesomely,  happily,  and  successfully,  is 
of  great  importance  from  another  point  of  view :  the  awaken- 
ing in  him  of  the  altruistic  or  social  sense  and  preparing  him 
to  play  his  part  as  a  member  of  the  community,  not  merely 
in  protecting  himself,  but  also  in  protecting  others.  There 
are  few  better  and  more  convincing  lessons  of  the  necessity 
of  our  standing  and  living  "one  for  all,  and  all  for  one," 
than  are  furnished  on  every  page  of  the  study  of  hygiene, 
particularly,  air  contamination,  the  spread  of  infections, 
the  fouling  of  water,  and  public  cleanliness  in  general. 

The  child  is  of  course  born  seljBsh.  He  would  n't  survive 
if  he  was  n't;  but  it  is  both  delightful  and  astonishing  how 
early  and  how  clearly  he  will  begin  to  form  ideas  of  useful- 
ness and  helpfulness  to  others  and  of  service  to  the  com- 
munity if  it  is  only  shown  him  where  and  how  he  can  be 
of  such  service.  Some  of  the  best  instances  of  civic  better- 
ment and  town  house-cleaning  that  have  ever  been  seen, 
for  instance,  have  been  furnished  by  Boy  Scouts  or  by 
brigades  of  children,  not  only  from  the  grammar  grades,  but 
even  from  the  primary  grades.  "  Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes 
and  sucklings  "  come  lessons  in  hygiene  and  in  sanitary  con- 
scientiousness that  the  most  hardened  and  selfish  offender 
against  public  welfare  dares  not  ignore. 

Two- Cycle  Plan  of  the  Woods  Hutchinson  Health  Series 

For  these  reasons,  in  the  Woods  Hutchinson  Health  Series 
the  ground  has  been  very  carefully  and  thoroughly  cov- 
ered in  two  volumes.  The  first  book.  The  Child's  Day,  is 
written  from  the  point  of  view  of  appealing  to  the  interests 
and  mental  grasp  of  children  in  the  second  and  third  grades, 
pointing  them  in  the  direction  of  forming  such  health  habits 


6  HOW  TO  TEACH  HYGIENE  AND  PHYSIOLOGY 

and  second-nature  reactions  to  their  environment  as  are  most 
useful  for  their  protection.  Injthis  first  approach,  special 
pains  have  been  taken  to  restrict  the  suggestions,  advice, 
and  information  to  such  matters  as  the  children  will  be 
already  interested  in  and  will  be  able  to  make  use  of  for 
themselves  or  for  others,  either  directly  or  through  sug- 
gestions to  their  parents,  teachers,  and  elders  generally. 

The  second  volume,  A  Handbook  of  Health,  which  is 
planned  to  appeal  to  the  interests  and  powers  of  intelli- 
gence of  children  of  from  eleven  to  fourteen,  covers  the 
whole  field  of  healthful,  happy,  efficient  living  very  thor- 
oughly and  carefully,  in  so  far  as  the  needs  of  pupils  of 
these  ages  are  concerned.  As  half  to  two  thirds  of  all  our 
school  children  drop  out  of  the  public  schools  before  they 
reach  the  high  school,  every  important  health  problem  con- 
nected either  with  the  individual  or  the  community  is 
taken  up  and  discussed  in  this  book,  with  sufficient  thor- 
oughness and  detail  as  to  give  the  child  a  good  working 
knowledge  of  what  he  will  need  to  know  about  his  health 
for  the  greater  part  of  his  future  life. 

We  feel  little  hesitation  in  saying  that  any  child  who  has 
carefully  studied  these  two  books,  and  made  the  practical 
applications,  the  visits  of  inspection,  and  the  investigation 
suggested  in  them  will  have  a  good,  practical  knowledge  of 
what  steps  are  necessary  to  protect  his  health  under  all 
ordinary  circumstances,  and  will  be  so  trained  and  in- 
formed that  he  will  be  able  to  inform  himself  through 
books,  public  health  officers,  inspectors,  or  other  appropriate 
sources,  of  any  further  details  which  he  needs  to  know  about. 

The  Method  of  Presentation 

The  best  general  method  of  presentation  for  the  purpose 
is  that  followed  in  the  two  books  in  this  series.  The  Child's 
Day  takes  up  the  experiences  and  activities  of  a  single 
typical  day  of  the  child's  life  and  shows  how  these  may  be 
used  to  establish  right  habits  of  living.  The  Handbook  of 
Health  begins  with  the  most  fundamental  topic  in  a  health- 
ful regime  —  Our  Food  and  Drink  —  and  studies  in  suc- 
cession each  of  the  other  important  topics  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  good  health  —  "The  Care  of  the  Heart-pump  and 
its  Pipe  Lines,"  "How  to  Keep  the  Lung-Bellows  in  Good 
Condition,"  "How  to  Keep  the  Skin  Healthy,"  "Exercise 
and  Growth,"  etc.   These  topics,  taken  up  in  the  order  in 


HOW  TO  TEACH  HYGIENE  AND   PHYSIOLOGY  7 

which  they  are  presented  in  these  two  books,  give  an  ideal 
basal  course;  they  may  well  be  supplemented,  at  the  dis- 
cretion of  the  teacher,  with  subjects  taken  from  the  daily 
newspapers,  or  from  current  popular  discussions  in  the  com- 
munity, such  as  particular  infectious  diseases  when  these 
happen  to  be  epidemic  in  the  neighborhood,  or  some  special 
health  measure  when  it  is  proposed:  for  instance,  how  to 
secure  a  good  water  supply  for  the  town,  or  how  to  improve 
the  sewage  system,  or  how  to  put  in  operation  a  system  of 
market  or  food  inspection,  or  the  danger  of  spitting  and 
how  to  eliminate  it. 

The  Aid  of  a  Doctor  Should  be  Sought 

It  is  strongly  urged  that  teachers  in  all  grades  get  in 
touch  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  either  with  the  school 
physician,  or  with  some  physician  who  happens  to  be  a 
member  of  the  School  Board,  or  some  local  doctor  who  is 
intelligent  and  public-spirited,  and  either  get  advice  and 
suggestions  from  him  as  to  how  to  present  certain  timely 
topics,  or,  as  can  very  frequently  be  done,  get  him  to  come 
in  for  a  few  moments  and  talk  to  the  children  on  some  mat- 
ter that  is  exciting  public  interest.  This  method  has  the 
advantage  that  if,  as  will  often  happen,  the  children  in  the 
course  of  a  lesson  ask  questions  which  go  beyond  the  imme- 
diate knowledge  and  experience  of  the  teacher  in  hygienic 
matters,  these  can  be  deferred  till  the  next  visit  of  the 
doctor,  or  the  teacher  can  ask  him  personally  about  them 
and  report  to  the  class.  It  should  never  for  a  moment  be 
forgotten  that  the  wisest  and  most  experienced  physician 
or  the  greatest  and  most  famous  physiologist  or  sanitarian 
will  be  puzzled,  not  merely  once,  but  a  dozen  times  a  month 
by  the  naive  but  positively  appalling  questions  which  any 
bright  youngster  is  not  only  able,  but  certain  to  ask.  No- 
body need  have  the  slightest  feeling  of  reproach  or  humilia- 
tion in  answering,  "I  don't  know,"  to  the  questions  of  chil- 
dren. Indeed,  the  wider  the  experience  and  the  broader 
the  knowledge  of  any  expert  in  any  science  the  readier  he 
will  be  to  make  this  frank  answer.  The  most  valuable 
single  thing  in  the  study  of  a  science  is  the  discovery  that 
nobody  in  the  world  "knows  it  all"  in  any  branch  and  that 
nobody's  opinion  is  final  and  conclusive.  If  you  don't  learn 
quite  as  much  as  the  children  from  the  course  in  Physiol- 
ogy, you  are  not  teaching  it  rightly. 


8  OUTLINE  FOR  PRIMARY  GRADES 

The  Course  in  Hygiene  Must  be  Elastic 

As  the  course  should  by  all  means  be  fitted  to  the  children 
themselves,  and  be  such  as  they  can  immediately  or  in  the 
near  future  put  into  practice  for  themselves,  and  as  it  must 
adapt  itself  to  town,  city,  or  country,  as  the  case  may  be,  — 
to  the  conditions  and  surroundings  of  the  families  of  the 
children,  —  it  has  been  thought  best  to  make  the  suggested 
outlines  and  topics  both  as  general  and  as  elastic  as  pos- 
sible, so  as  to  leave  the  utmost  liberty  and  initiative  to  the 
needs  and  preferences  of  the  individual  teacher. 

For  instance,  a  strictly  seasonal  division  would  apply  only 
slightly  to  the  schools  in  a  district  of  a  crowded  city,  most 
of  whom  have  never  seen  anything  growing  except  the  grass 
and  flowers  in  the  park,  or  any  vegetables  except  those 
in  the  shops  and  the  peddlers'  carts.  This  was  naively 
illustrated  a  few  months  ago  by  a  question  asked  in  perfect 
good  faith  by  a  visitor  in  one  of  the  downtown  schools  of  the 
lower  East  Side  in  New  York.  The  question  was  so  elemental, 
as  apparently  to  admit  of  only  one  answer:  "How  many 
seasons  of  the  year  are  there,  children.^"  But  the  reply 
came  readily  and  in  chorus:  "Two!  Busy  and  slack!" 

Needless  to  say  the  absorbing  industry  in  that  district 
was  the  garment  trade. 

Not  the  least  important  by  any  means  in  every  year  of 
the  school  course,  are  the  visits  to  the  various  farms,  fac- 
tories and  establishments,  shops  and  public  institutions, 
where  any  of  what  might  be  termed  wholesale  or  public 
health  activities  are  carried  on,  such  as  the  handling  and 
preparation  of  fruit,  grains,  nuts,  meat,  and  other  foods; 
the  care  and  shipment  of  milk;  cooking  and  preparing  of 
foods,  as  in  bakeries,  canneries,  etc. ;  and  the  various  activi- 
ties of  the  local  boards  of  health,  as  the  laboratory,  the 
garbage  furnace,  the  water-supply  reservoir  or  filter,  the 
sewage  system,  and  the  methods  of  street  cleaning. 

OUTLINE  FOR  PRIMARY  GRADES 

First  Grade 
Give  one  or  more  ten-minute  talks  to  pupils,  once  a  week, 
on  each  of  the  following  subjects.  The  necessary  informa- 
tion may  be  found  by  referring  to  the  Table  of  Contents  and 
the  Index  of  Woods  Hutchinson's  A  Handbook  of  Health, 

1.    How   WE   EAT 


OUTLINE  FOR  PRIMARY  GRADES  0 

Why  we  should  chew  our  food  well. 

2.  The  care  of  the  teeth 
What  causes  decayed  teeth. 

The  need  of  seeing  a  dentist  every  six  months. 
How  to  brush  the  teeth. 

When  to  brush  the  teeth  —  at  least  twice  a  day. 
Tooth-brush  drill. 

3.  The  different  kinds  of  food  that  we  need 

(a)  Meat,  eggs,  fish,  milk. 

(b)  Vegetables  —  fresh  and  cooked. 

(c)  Bread  and  cereals. 

(d)  Fruits. 

(e)  Sweets.    (Candy  and  sugar  should  usually  be  eaten 

at  close  of  meals  —  not  much  between  meals.) 

4.  Our  drink 

We  should  drink  four  to  six  glasses  of  water  every  day. 
Drink  a  glass  of  water  after  cleaning  teeth  in  the  morning. 
Drink  plenty  of  milk. 

Coffee  and  tea  should  never  be  drunk  by  children. 
Why  much  soda  water  is  bad.     (Ice-cold  and  poor 

ingredients.) 
The  harm  done  by  alcoholic  drinks. 

5.  When  we  should  eat 
Three  good  square  meals  a  day. 

Eat  only  plain  nutritious  food  between  meals,  when 

hungry. 
Do  not  eat  within  an  hour  before  meal  time. 

6.  Clean  food 

Danger  of  unclean  or  decayed  food. 
Visit  a  clean  butcher  shop. 
If  possible,  visit  a  clean  dairy. 
Observe  difference  between  street  stands, 

(a)  Where  food  is  carefully  covered. 

(b)  Where  it  is  exposed  to  dirt  and  flies. 

7.  How  TO  avoid  taking  cold 
Always  breathe  good  air. 

How  to  ventilate  the  schoolroom;  the  living  room;  the 

bedroom. 
Never  use  a  cup  that  other  people  have  drunk  out  of, 

unless  it  is  thoroughly  washed. 
Keep  away  from  those  who  have  colds. 

8.  What  to  do  when  you  have  a  cold 
Keep  quiet  at  home,  away  from  other  people. 


10  OUTLINE  FOR  PRIMARY  GRADES 

If  cold  is  severe,  stay  in  bed. 

If  you  have  fever  or  very  sore  throat,  or  pain  in  the 
chest,  call  the  doctor. 

Second  Grade 

Give  one  or  more  ten-minute  talks  to  pupils,  once  a  week, 
on  each  of  the  following  subjects.  The  necessary  informa- 
tion may  be  found  by  referring  to  the  Table  of  Contents 
and  the  Index  of  Woods  Hutchinson's  A  Handbook  of  Health. 

1.  How  TO  TAKE  CARE  OF  OUR  WONDERFUL  COAT  —  THE 
SKIN 

Take  a  warm  bath  once  a  week  and  cool  baths  once  a 

day  if  possible. 
Scrub  the  hands  thoroughly  with  soap  and  water  before 

eating. 
Shampoo  the  hair  once  a  week  for  boys  and  once  in  two 

weeks  for  girls. 

2.  The  care  of  the  nails 

The  nails  are  really  a  kind  of  skin. 
They  should  be  cleaned  with  a  blunt  point,  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  if  necessary  before  eating. 
The  proper  way  to  cut  the  nails. 

3.  Our  clothing 

Purpose  of  clothing  is  to  keep  in  the  warmth  of  the  body, 

not  to  keep  cold  out. 
Flannels  and  woolens  are  warm  because  their  air  spaces 

hold  a  large  amount  of  air. 
Woolens,  therefore,  should  be  used  for  outer  garments 

in  cold  weather. 
Cotton  undergarments  are  best  for  summer  and  winter. 
How  to  dress  for  different  kinds  of  weather;  indoors  and 

outdoors. 

4.  Play  and  exercise 
Why  play  is  good  for  us. 

When  well,  you  should  play  out  doors  several  hours  a  day. 
Do  not  play  so  hard  as  to  become  heated  just  before  or 
just  after  eating  heartily. 

5.  Why  we  need  early  to  form  regular  habits 
(a)  Eating. 

(6)  Sleeping  —  go  to  bed  at  same  hour  each  night. 

(c)  Bathing. 

{d)  Going  to  toilet  each  morning. 

(e)  Studying  and  playing  at  certain  times  of  the  day. 


OUTLINE  FOR  GRAMMAR  GRADES  11 

Third  Grade 

The  Child's  Day,  Book  One  of  the  Woods  Hutchinson 
Health  Series,  in  the  hands  of  the  pupils. 

This  book  takes  up  the  experiences  and  activities  in  a 
typical  day  of  the  life  of  a  child,  and  shows  the  pupil  how 
he  may  so  live  as  to  establish  right  habits  of  living  from  the 
start  and  thus  build  up  a  strong,  efficient  body. 

The  teacher  should  read  the  preface  to  get  the  author's 
point  of  view  in  writing  the  book.  Observe  that  the  aim  is 
to  get  and  hold  the  interest  of  the  pupil. 

Give  one  lesson  a  week,  —  usually  a  chapter  or  a  division 
of  a  chapter,  —  having  it  read  orally  by  the  pupils,  accom- 
panied by  free  discussion.  Review  the  preceding  lesson  at 
the  beginning  of  each  class  exercise,  using  the  questions  at 
the  back  of  the  book,  or  similar  questions,  to  test  the 
grasp  that  pupils  have  of  the  subject  and  to  draw  out 
further  discussion. 

Constantly  lead  pupils  to  compare  their  actual  course  of 
living  with  the  ideal  kind  of  life  pictured  in  the  book. 
Where  this  comparison  reveals  unhygienic  conditions  of 
life  or  unheal thful  habits,  do  what  is  possible  to  help  over- 
come these  bad  habits  and  unwholesome  conditions.  Where 
very  bad  conditions  are  indicated  by  these  discussions  the 
assistance  of  the  school  doctor  or  visiting  nurse,  if  there  be 
such  officials,  should  be  sought.  Of  course,  the  teacher 
must  be  careful  not  to  hurt  the  feelings  of  children  or 
arouse  the  opposition  of  parents  in  her  attempt  to  correct 
unfavorable  conditions. 

OUTLINE  FOR  GRAMMAR  GRADES 

Fourth  Grade 

General  Subject:  How  to  avoid  sickness 
Ten-minute  talks  to  pupils,  given  weekly  throughout  the 
year,  on  the  following  topics.  The  necessary  information 
may  be  obtained  from  Woods  Hutchinson's  A  Handbook  of 
Healthy  or  his  Preventable  Diseases. 
1.  Germs 

These  are  tiny  plants  or  animals  that  can  be  seen  only 

under  a  microscope. 
Good  Germs.  Constitute  a  large  part  of  all  bacteria. 
These  raise  our  bread,  eat  up  decayed  matter,  enrich 
the  soil,  and  in  many  ways  help  us. 


12  OUTLINE  FOR  GRAMMAR  GRADES 

Bad  germs.  Cause  most  of  the  sickness  in  the  world. 
Man  has  been  fighting  these  germs  for  years  and  is 

winning  the  fight  in  the  case  of  many  of  the  diseases. 
Tell  of  the  work  of  Pasteur.  Tell  other  stories  about  the 

fight  with  disease. 

2.  How   DISEASE   GERMS   GROW 

They  stretch  themselves  out  and  divide  in  two,  just  as 

the  cells  in  our  bodies  do. 
They  increase  in  number  very  rapidly. 

3.  How   DISEASE   GERMS   ARE   SPREAD 

By   contact   with   the  person   having   the   disease  — 

contagion. 
By  contact  with  the  air  carrying  the  germs  —  infection, 

4.  How   DISEASE   GERMS   MAY   BE   DESTROYED 

By  sunlight. 

By  poisons  known  as  germicides  and    disinfectants. 

(Unfortunately  most  of  these  cannot  be  used  to  destroy 

germs  in  the  body,  as  they  would  injure  the  body.) 
By  our  own  body  cells.    (We  should  keep  our  bodies 

strong  and  well  so  that  they  can  fight  these  germs 

successfully.) 

5.  Colds  and  sore  throats 

Two  thirds  of  all  colds  are  catching. 

They  are  usually  caught  in  poorly  ventilated  rooms. 

They  are  not  often  caused  by  pure  cold  air. 
Symptoms  are  chills,  headache,  backache,  and  fever. 
Treatment. 

6.  Tuberculosis  or  consumption^ 
What  it  is. 

Different  forms  of  it. 
How  it  is  spread. 
How  it  may  be  avoided. 
How  it  may  be  cured. 

7.  Typhoid  Fever. 

Caused  by  infected  water  or  milk. 

Discuss  ways  and  means  of  obtaining  pure  water  and 

clean  milk. 
Dangers  to  be  avoided. 

8.  Children's  diseases 

Measles,  mumps,  whooping  cough,  scarlet  fever,  diph- 
theria.   All  of  these  may  be  preceded  by  sneezing, 
cold  in  the  head,  cough,  fever,  headache,  backache. 
^  See  Woods  Hutchinson's  Conquest  of  Consumption. 


OUTLINE  FOR  GRAMMAR  GRADES  13 

Treatment.  Keep  away  from  people  and  call  the  doctor 
at  once. 

Necessity  of  observing  quarantine  rules  made  by  the 
Board  of  Health. 
9.  Small-pox 

Why  every  child  should  be  vaccinated. 

Show  what  vaccination  has  done  in  preventing  small- 
pox. 

Fifth  Grade 

General  Subject:  What  to  do  in  emergencies 

Ten-minute  talks  to  pupils,  given  weekly  throughout  the 

year,  on  the  following  topics.   The  necessary  information 

may  be  obtained  from  Woods  Hutchinson's  A  Handbook  of 

Health,  See  Table  of  Contents  and  Index. 

1.  Why  most  accidents  and  wounds  are  not  serious 
Our  bodies  have  a  wonderful  power  of  repairing  them- 
selves. 

We  have  learned  to  keep  all  wounds  clean,  thus  avoiding 
danger  from  germs. 

2.  What  to  do  in  case  of  a  wound  or  cut 
See  that  it  is  perfectly  cleansed. 

Put  on  some  antiseptic,  like  peroxide  of  hydrogen,  or 
diluted  alcohol  (one  fourth  alcohol,  three  fourths 
water). 

Bind  up  carefully  to  keep  out  dirt. 

3.  What  to  do  in  case  of  severe  bleeding 
Use  of  the  tourniquet. 

4.  What  to  do  for  a  bruise 

Let  cold  water  flow  over  it,  or  plunge  it  into  hot  water. 
Bathe  it  in  diluted  alcohol  (one  fourth  alcohol,  three 
fourths  water) . 

5.  Burns 

How  to  put  out  fire  in  clothing. 

To  treat  burns,  coat  over  the  burned  skin  with  baking- 
soda,  talc  powder,  flour,  or  vaseline. 
If  the  burn  is  deep  consult  a  doctor. 

6.  Sprains 

Hold  injured  joint  in  running  cold  water  for  ten  minutes. 
Bandage  thoroughly. 

7.  Broken  bones 

What  to  do  if  doctor  is  not  at  hand. 

8.  Poisons  and  their  remedies 


14  OUTLINE  FOR  GRAMMAR  GRADES 

If  poisons  are  swallowed,  produce  vomiting  and  call  a 

doctor. 
For  poison  ivy,  scrub  vigorously  with  soap  and  hot  water. 

Sixthy  Seventh  y  and  Eighth  Grades 

A  Handbook  of  Health,  Book  Two  of  the  Woods  Hutch- 
inson Health  Series,  in  the  hands  of  pupils.  ^ 

During  the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Grades,  or  during  the 
Seventh  and  Eighth  Grades,  devote  one  recitation  a  week 
to  this  book,  preceded  by  a  study  period.  Take  the  first  ten 
chapters  during  the  first  year's  work  and  complete  the  book 
during  the  second  year.  Use  questions  in  the  back  of  the 
book,  or  similar  questions,  to  test  the  pupils'  knowledge  of 
the  subject  and  to  draw  out  discussions.  Remember  that 
the  purpose  of  this  subject  is  not  to  enable  pupils  to  pass 
examinations,  but  to  teach  them  to  take  the  best  possible 
care  of  their  health. 

A  SUPPLEMENTARY  YEAR'S  OUTLINE 

General  Subject:  What  the  community  does  to  keep 
us  Well 
The  following  year's  work  may  be  given  in  the  Sixth  Year, 
if  the  Handbook  of  Health  is  studied  in  the  Seventh  and 
Eighth  Grades,  or  in  the  Eighth  Grade  if  this  book  is  used 
in  the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Grades.  It  can  easily  be  covered 
by  ten  or  fifteen-minute  discussions,  held  weekly,  on  the  fol- 
lowing topics,  or  similar  topics  assigned  for  investigation : 

1.  Who  are  the  members  of  your  local  Health  Board  .^^ 
What  are  their  duties.'^ 

2.  Who  is  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Health.^ 
What  does  he  do.^^ 

3.  What  is  done  in  your  town  when  there  is  a  case  of  scar- 
let fever .^  A  case  of  measles .^^  A  case  of  tuberculosis.^ 

4.  What  is  the  source  of  the  water  supply  for  your  home.^^ 
for  your  school.^  If  a  well,  see  if  there  are  stables  or 
outhouses  within  150  yards  of  it.  If  your  city  or  town 
has  a  central  water  supply,  visit  the  location  and  write  a 
report  (1)  on  its  location;  (2)  source  of  the  water;  (3) 
how  the  water  is  filtered ;  (4)  how  the  water  is  distributed. 

5.  When  did  the  last  case  of  typhoid  fever  occur  in  your 
town.?  How  is  it  supposed  the  person  got  it.^^  What  did 
the  Board  of  Health  do  about  it.? 


OUTLINE  FOR  GRAMMAR  -SHADES       •'  15 

6.  How  is  the  sewage  of  youV  town:  or  oky  ^isp6?.ed  €^? 
Is  there  any  danger  of  its  contamiiialiiig  wells  or  other 
water  supply? 

7.  Is  there  a  law  against  spitting  in  your  city  or  town? 
What  is  the  fine  or  punishment?    Is  the  law  enforced? 

8.  Is  there  a  law  against  leaving  food  on  sale  exposed  to 
dust  and  flies?  Notice  particularly  venders'  carts  to 
see  if  the  owners  are  careful  to  keep  covered  candy, 
apples,  etc.,  that  they  have  for  sale. 

9.  In  your  school  building  is  there  a  spouting  fountain  or 
other  means  of  drinking  without  using  a  common  cup? 
If  not,  how  can  you  avoid  the  danger  of  using  the 
common  cup? 

10.  Visit  butcher  shops  and  grocery  stores  to  see  if  meats 
and  food  are  kept  in  cleanly  condition,  away  from  flies 
and  dust. 

11.  Visit  a  dairy  or  milk  station  to  see  how  the  milk  is 
handled.  Are  precautions  taken  to  keep  the  milk  clean 
and  cool?  How  is  the  milk  distributed  in  your  com- 
munity? 

12.  What  recreation  grounds  and  parks  are  maintained  at 
public  expense  for  the  use  of  the  children  in  your  city? 
How  often  do  you  make  use  of  these? 

13.  What  public  hospitals  are  there  in  your  community? 
What  is  done  with  those  who  have  serious  infectious 
diseases? 

14.  Are  there  free  dispensaries  in  your  town  or  city? 
Where  are  these  located?  How  do  these  help  people  to 
keep  well? 

15.  What  is  done  in  your  community  to  keep  the  streets 
clean  and  free  from  dust?  Observe  whether  they  are 
kept  in  hygienic  condition? 

16.  Find  out  the  death  rate  for  last  year  in  your  city  or 
town.  How  does  this  compare  with  that  of  former 
years?  Is  it  increasing  or  decreasing? 

17.  Have  any  steps  been  taken  to  get  rid  of  mosquitoes  and 
flies  in  your  city?  Find  what  is  being  done  in  other 
cities  and  towns  and  report  to  the  class.  Why  are 
these  pests  dangerous? 

18.  Can  you  think  of  any  improvements  that  would  make 
your  city  or  town  a  more  healthful  place  to  live  in?  How 
would  you  seek  to  bring  about  these  improvements? 


THE  WOODS  HI  )N 

HEALTH  SERIES 

BY  WOODS  HUTCHINSON,  M.D. 

An  ideal  course  in  physiology  and  hygiene  for  elemenl 
tary  schools  by  a  writer  of  international  reputation  ai 
physician,  teacher,  and  author. 

«  BOOK  ONE.     THE  CHILD'S  DAY 

For  Grades  III,  IV  or  V.    40  cents,  net.   Postpaid! 

A  series  of  simple,  practical,  and  interesting  healthj 
talks,  giving  the  various  experiences  of  a  typical  day  anc 
showing  the  child  how  he  may  build  a  strong,  vigorouJ 
body  and  thereby  immeasurably  increase  his  happinesJ 
and  usefulness. 

BOOK  TWO.     A  HANDBOOK  OF  HEALTI 

For  Grades  VI,  VII,  VIII.    65  cents,  net.  Postpaid 

An  authoritative  and  fully  equipped  textbook  givinJ 
practical  information  regarding  the  body  machinery  and 
the  promotion  of  health  in  the  individual  and  in  the  con 
munity.     It  brings  to  the  pupil  in  simple  language  thj 
best  information  and  advice  of  the  medical  profession  > 
to-day. 


HOUGHTON   MIFFLIN    COMPANY 

BOSTON    NEW  YORK    CHICAGO 


">     1 — '    o 


-  UNIVERSITY  OF  CAIylFORNIA  IvIBRARY 


